You are here

Flood Waters Continue to Rise in Paris and Suburbs

Residents in the wider Paris region are bracing themselves for more flooding as the water levels of the rivers Seines and Marne continued to rise overnight.
Heavy rainfall since Monday has caused the rivers to rise to record levels. Over the weekend, the rivers will crest to over 20 feet, according to the French flood warning agency Vigicrues. This level of flooding has not been reached in over 30 years. Vigicrues announced that water levels are expected to rise even further.
“Significant floods are possible, even in areas that are rarely flooded,” earned Vigicrues in a public service announcement. Twelve districts, north and east of Paris, are under an orange alert due to flood risk.
Rats and vermin are being flushed out of the sewers in many parts of the capital. Social media has been inundated with videos of rodents running through the streets and climbing walls to escape the flood.
Train travel and power cuts are anticipated because of the dangerous conditions.
The French military and Firefighters in Paris are on alert and have been called upon to save stranded boat enthusiasts who braved the rising waters of the Seine. Sailing is banned on the rivers, but kayakers and pleasure boaters are asked not to be on the river.
The flood should peak between Sunday and Monday night, predicted Vigicrues.
Torrential rains have forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes as street and basements are flooded throughout the northeastern region of France.
In Alsace, east of Paris, residents in the town of Ornans found their homes flooded. Many of the homes run along the edge of the River Loue.
“We have not seen such a flood since 2002,” said Ornans mayor Sylvain Ducret. “The main street is flooded and the ground floor of the town hall is underwater.”